Enkayaar, Bollywood Trade News Network

A.R.RAHMAN

If a review of the songs connoting invocation of the spirit of nationhood were to be made, one thing that would emerge as a singular motif would be the yeomen contribution that Rahman has made with his music direction. As a matter of fact before the advent of Rahman on the firmament of Indian cinema the orchestration of the patriotic songs had a base, which was dominated by the Indian musical instruments. Rahman changed all this when he held the baton for the first time in ROJA.

The reason for Rahman being able to develop this genre with panache probably lay in the setting of the ambience of the music composition. The song, 'Bharat Humko Jaan Se Pyara hai' still is a norm to invoke the spirit of nationalism, and it was at the time when Shankar Mahadevan was yet to make his debut and it was left to Hariharan to add a passionate invocation in the output. It, after all, is a passionate invocation and the peak to which the violins rise in a crescendo sets the blood of even passive nationalists on fire.

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The passion of ROJA was just a trailer and it carved a new niche of short films based on the themes of nationalism knitting the diversity of country into a warm pullover, the binding element being the scintillating music of Rahman. The album aptly christened as 'Vande Mataram' commemorating 50 year of Independence was a roaring commercial success, and it was a catalyst for every fence sitting nationalist to become a convert to the spirit of Nationalism, in its all encompassing sense, and not in restrictive sense. Rahman did not rest on his laurels with 'Vande Mataram' but followed it up with the invocation of the national song in as diverse voices as possible, and it also electrified the viewers to the warmth of the national song. It was his orchestration of the national song, which has become a necessary addendum in all the films that are shown in the film capital of India, aka Mumbai. Who else, but the vision of Rahman, would have thought of interpreting the national song, in such myriad kaleidoscope, and further accentuating the importance of the national anthem.

He went on his quest for this spirit through LAGAAN, SWADES and followed it up with NETAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE and MANGAL PANDEY. To be able to compose music for as dry subjects, as story on national leaders and to be able to come out on top is indeed is the wizardry that Rahman weaves through his baton. RANG DE BASANTI further accentuated the same. The ability to weave a tapestry of nationalism around great personas got further accentuation with the music that he gave for JODHAA AKBAR, and the title song emphasizes the importance of a figure like Akbar with a thump. No wonder, in the awards category for 2008 JODHAA AKBAR has already started sweeping the awards.

With such devotion in the heart for nationalism, Rahman indeed would continue to score new frontiers in the arena of film music in general and for songs with the theme of nationalism in particular

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